Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published February 9, 2007 Rocky & Carlo's Returns; St. Bernard Rejoices What an amazing week! On Wednesday, Mandina's reopened, making everybody in Mid-City feel much more at home. Then, on Thursday, the essential restaurant of St. Bernard Parish unlocked the door. Rocky & Carlo's is back, and even though the reopening was kept a secret, the place still managed to fill completely. Reports from callers on the radio show tell me that the layout of the restaurant hasn't changed. The bar still takes up most of the long wall on the left side of the room, with the food line in the rear. What has changed is the interior, which needed to be gutted. (Like almost everything else in Chalmette, Rocky's was washed over by a deep wall of storm surge flood water.) The old dark wood-paneled walls are now covered with wallboard, painted a light color. The bathrooms are all new (for which we give many thanks). And all the furnishings are new. The menu, of course, is the same. Sandwiches and classic platters, with an emphasis on Italian dishes, all served in uncomfortably large portions from a self-service, cafeteria-like line. It never was great food, but it was as authentically New Orleans as could be imagined. Only in a place like this would you ever see macaroni and cheese served with a choice of "red gravy" or "brown gravy." (The jury's out as to which is better, but my father favored the brown.) The population of St. Beranrd is still largely gone, but they're rebuilding as furiously as we knew they would. The return of Rocky & Carlo's is an event that will add another critical comfort to Chalmatians, Violations, Merauvians, and Arabines. Rocky & Carlo’s. 613 W. St. Bernard Hwy.. 279-8323. © 2007 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com